Cleaner



. Dec. 2, 1930.

H. a. warm:

I CLEANER Filed Dec. 24, 1927 mggos Patented Dec. 2, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

HARRY 13. WHITE, OF CANTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE HOOVER UOMPANY, A. COR- PORATION OF OHIO CLEANER Application filed December 24, 1927. Serial No. 242,310.

Vacuum cleaners as now constructed are of three general types, the so-called straightair cleaner, the brush cleaner, in which the brush is driven by some form of drive from one or more of the floor contacting wheels of the cleaner, and the type in which a brush or agitator member is rotated by some form of drive from the motor-shaft.

The invention disclosed in this ap lication relates particularly to the third or ast type above mentioned, that is, the type wherein a revoluble brush or agitator member is These side-portions or legs of the U-frame driven from the cleaner motor.

The invention disclosed relates particularly to a new and improved device for mounting the revoluble carpet contacting member, and. the objects of the invention are to provide an improved support for the revoluble floor contacting member of a suction cleaner, to provide such a mounting or support to securely hold the revoluble member in its proper position and to provide such a construction wherein while the revolu- -ble member is securely held in its proper position, it may readily be removed without tools and with a minimum of effort.

Other and further objects ofthe invention such as the provision of a construction of simple design, low cost of manufacture, and other similar-and like objects will be apparent from an inspection of the accompanying description and drawings.

In the drawings;

Figure 1 discloses a bottom plan view of a cleaner with the invention applied;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the forward part of the cleaner with a side wall broken away to show the details of the invention;

1 Fig. .3 is a perspective of the cam latch member detail; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective mounting frame. i a

The invention comprises in general a of one end of the -U-shaped framehavi ng an elongated base portion with short side portions or legs.

are pivoted to the end walls of the cleaner adjacent the nozzle opening and slightly to the rear thereof in order that the frame may swing freely into and out of the nozzle openm The cleaner shown for the purpose of illustrating the inventionand its application is one well known in the suction cleaner. art, so that it is thought unnecessary to give any detailed description of the eneral arrangement. The description will e limited to the frame 16. Agitator frame 16 is substantially U-shaped, having a relatively long base portion, whichv in this articular instance, comprises the forward ip 10 of the nozzle,"and

t'wo relatively short slde or arm portions 17 The agitator mounting frame is pivoted to side walls '12 and 13 of the cleaner at 18. Plvot points 18, to'the rear of nozzle lip 11, and slots at 19 are provided in order that the agitator mounting frame may freely swing into and out of the nozzle opening.

On the outside of side arm 17 of the frame,

.there is mounted a curved spring member 20 secured by means of a rivet 21. The spring 20 is of general semi-circular shape and has a portion 22 which is curved to lie in arcuate slot 23 and it is provided with an end portion 24 which is turned out at substantially ri ht angles to the main body of the spring in or er that the upturned end 24. may project slightpurpose to be later described.

On frame arm 17 there is provided a latch pivot 25 and a shaft receiving slot 26 is formed in said arm. At the bottom of side arm 17 there is an outturned tongue 27 which abuts main frame end wall 12 to properly position the frame with respect to the cleaner 'lyabove the surface offrame arm 17, .for a nozzle when the frame is swung into normal operative position.

Mounted on latch pivot 25, there is a latch member 28 which is provided with a hole 29 to receive pivot 25. A further small opening or hole 30 ,is provided in latch member 28 to receive the upturned end 24 of spring 20. The latch is also provided with a small tongue 34 turned at substantial right angles to the general plane of the latch member and adapt- F' re 2 and indicated at 33.

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tention is now directed to several particular features of the invention which possibly would not normally appear to even one skilledin the art, unless they were articularly pointed out. Latching cam sur ace 31 is so esigned that as latch 28 is swung about its pivot 25 there is a constant and gradually increasin pressure brought to bear upon shaft on 33 to firmly seat it in its mounting in the bottom of slot 26, that is, the distance from a tangent to any point on this surface to the center of the latch pin is of a decreasing value from the outer or open end of the cam surface to its inner or closed end. Attention is also directed to releasing cam surface 32, which is so designed with respect to the pivot point of the latch 28 that as the latch is swung into open position'or-counterclockwise, as viewed in F1 2, there is a positive tendency for this surface 32 to raise the shaft end 33 from its seat in the, bottom of slot 26. In addition to these particular features just mentioned, attention is also directed to the fact that when latch member 28 is op- .tion. With the latch in this stable erated in a counterclockwise direction to the 'tion in which shaft end 33 is free from its seat, that s ring securing rivet 21, latch pivot 25 and the point of connection of the spring to the latch member, or otherwise the upturned end 24 of the s ring, fall substan tially in line or even slight y past a line drawn through the rivet and the pivot, so that the latch when opened is in a stable position without tendency to spring to its closed posiosition or just slightly past such alined con ition, a very slight movement of the latch in a clockwise direction will throw spring end 24 slightly past the line through the rivet and pivot so that the spring and latch will no longer be in a stable condition and will tend to immediatelyspring shut and to be constantl urged toward closed position by the action 0 spring 20. In addition to the fact that the latch may be closed by a very slight closing movement thereof, ,it may also be closed by a very slight pressure upon the agitator or revoluble member tending to force its shaft to its seat since the shaft will exert a pressure on releasing cam surface 32 which pressure, due to the relative relation of the cam surface and the latch pivot will cause the latch to move slightly toward closing position which will likewise throw the latch member and sprin into an unstable condition to force the late into its closed position.

It is believed that the above description .fully and thoroughlydescribes an agitator mounting which is very easy and simple to operate and which fulfills the various and sunjority of the details of construction have been described in the singular, the agitator mountmg frame is rovided with a side member at each end an that the construction of each end and its related parts is the same with the exception, of course, that one part is a righthan part and the other part is a left-hand part.

I claim 1. In a suction cleaner having a downwardly opening intake nozzle, a U-shaped mounting frame, said mounting frame having a long base portion and short side members, the side members of the frame being pivotally mounted adjacent the intake noz-- zle,-a revoluble agitator in the intake nozzle and having supports rojecting from its ends, said side members eing provided with seats for said supports, and a latch member pivotally. mounted on each side member to;

secure said supports on their seats and each having two cam surfaces, one of said cam surfaces having a progressively decreasing effective radius in one, direction of rotation of the latch, member, and the other of said. "cam surfaces having an effective radius progressively increasing at a relatively high rate with respect to the other cam surface and effective in the op osite direction of rotation of the latch mem er. I

2. A carrier for mounting an agitator of a suction cleaner com rising a U-shaped frame having a relative y long base portion and short side portions, said side ortions being provided with seats for receiving projections extending axially of the agitator and latch members pivoted upon said side portions, each of said latch members having a cam face thereon for engaging one of said axial projections and of slightly progressively decreasing effective radius from the latch pivot when considered for one direction of rotation of the latch member for forcing said projection toward said seat.

3. In a suction cleaner having a down- III) wardly opening intake nozzle, a U-shaped mounting frame having a relatively long base portion and short side portions, means adjacent the intake nozzle for pivotally mounting the frame side portions, a revoluble agitator in the intake nozzle, a shaft on which the agitator is revolubly supported and having end mounting projections, said frame side portions having seats thereon for said mounting projections, a latch member pivotally mounted on each frame side portion and having a slot therein, the sides of said slot constituting opposed cam surfaces each having an increasing radius about the latch'pivot in one direction whereby upon motion of the latch member in one direction one of said cam surfaces will force the mounting projection toward its seat and upon motion of the latch member in the opposite direction the other of said cam surfaces will force the mounting projection away from its seat, and a resilient member biasing the latch member in thefirst mentioned direction.

4. A suction cleaner having an intake nozzle and an agitator member in said nozzle, means for detachably mounting said agitator member comprising a plate having a slot the-rein and a seat, a shaft on which the agitator is revolubly mounted and having a portion thereof adapted to slide in said slot, a

latch member pivotally mounted on said plate and having opposed cam surfaces thereon for forcing said projection toward said seat and away from said seat respectively, means limiting the movement of said latch in each direction, and resilient means effective on opposite sides of the pivot point of said latch to urge said latch toward projection seating position "during the latter part of its movement in one direction and toward projection unseating position during the latter part of its movement in the opposite direction.

5. The combination with a suction cleaner having a downwardly extending intake nozzle, an agitator in said nozzle, a shaft revolubly supporting said agitator, and a frame carried by said cleaner and supporting said shaft, of a latch mounted on said frame adjacent the end of said agitator and engaging the end of said shaft, and means for urging said latch toward one position to hold said, shaft to said frame and toward another position to assist in' withdrawing said shaft from said frame.

6. A suction cleaner having an intake nozzle, an agitator in said nozzle, means revolubly supporting said agitator and comprising a projection extending axially of said agitator, a plate having a slot therein to receive said projection and having a seat at the end of said slot, a latch member carried by said plate, and means tending to move said latch member from an intermediate position toward end positions, said latch member having a cam surface thereon engageable with said projection to retain it within said slot.

7. A. suction cleaner casing having an intake nozzle, an agitator in said nozzle, means revolubly supporting said agitator and comprising a projectionextending axially of said agitator, means carried by said casing for guiding said projection and having a seat for engagement by said rojection, a latch member pivotally carried by said casing, and means tending to swing said latch member from an intermediate position toward end positions, said latch member having there on a portion for holding said projection against said seat and having a cam surface for forcing said projection away froin'its seat upon movement of said latch member in one direction and engageable by said projection to effect movement of said latch member past its intermediate position.

8. A suction cleaner casing having an in takenozzle, a device adapted to be mounted in said nozzle, and means for detachably se curin said device to said casin comprising a pro ection extending endwise rom said device, means carried by said casing for guiding-said projection and having a seat for engagement by said projection, a latch. member pivotally carried by said casing, and means tending to swing said latch member from an intermediate position toward end ositions, said latch member having a portion or holding said projection against its seat and having a cam surface thereon engageable by said projection to throw said latch member past its intermediate position.

9. A suction cleaner casing having an intake nozzle, a device adapted to be mounted in said nozzle, and means for detachably securing said device to said casing comprising a pro ection extending endwise from said de vice, means carried by said casing for guiding said projection and having a seat for engagement by said projection, a latch member pivotally carried by said casing and having an arcuate slot therein to receive said projection and of a width greater than the corresponding dimension 0 said projection to provide lost motion, and resilient means tending to swing said latch member to secure said projection within said slot.

Signed at North Canton, in the county of Stark, and State of Ohio, this 17th day of December, A. D., 1927.

' HARRY B. WHITE.

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